


A Time To Plan

by TardisIsTheOnlyWayToTravel



Series: Ripples [3]
Category: Star Wars Original Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-03
Updated: 2016-04-03
Packaged: 2018-05-31 02:45:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6452377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TardisIsTheOnlyWayToTravel/pseuds/TardisIsTheOnlyWayToTravel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Our intelligence says that the name of the pilot who destroyed the Death Star is Luke Skywalker, my lord.”</p><p>“What… what did you just say?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Time To Plan

** A Time To Plan **

“Our intelligence says that the name of the pilot who destroyed the Death Star is Luke Skywalker, my lord.”

A moment ago Vader was listening calmly, a little bored, to the intelligence officer’s report. But now he freezes, swamped with incredulity and shock.

“What… what did you just say?” Inside the helmet, his voice is wavering and uncertain, but outside the helmet, the vocoder makes his voice sound threatening.

“Luke Skywalker, my lord,” the intelligence officer repeats, looking faintly worried. “Our spies tell us that he was hailed as a hero by the Rebellion, after he destroyed the Death Star. It wasn’t particularly difficult to discover his name.”

Vader sits there, unmoving, and doesn’t respond. His brain is working furiously.

One of the pilots who had attacked the Death Star had possessed a presence that Vader had recognised from earlier that day – the strangely-familiar Force presence that had belonged to the youth who had assisted Princess Leia Organa in escaping the Death Star. Vader had noted the youth at the time, curious at the familiarity and strength of his Force presence.

But for the boy to be named ‘Skywalker’… can it be…?

_ Padme’s child is alive _ , Vader thinks, and feels a wave of exultation, accompanied by the familiar pangs of grief that always accompanies thoughts of his late wife. Somehow, the child had survived.

Obi-Wan, Vader thinks, Obi-Wan must have watched over the boy, all this time… why else would the boy have been in his company? Vader doubts that Obi-Wan raised the boy – Obi-Wan was always terrible with children – but that he played some role in his upbringing Vader does not doubt.

For the first time Vader feels something other than anger and hatred towards his old friend… because yes, he’s furious that Obi-Wan hid the boy from him, but on the other hand, Obi-Wan has somehow ensured that his son is _alive_ , after all this time.

His son.

_ I have a son _ , Vader thinks. _Luke Skywalker. My son._

At the other end of the table the intelligence officer clears his throat.

“Lord Vader?”

Vader realises that he has been silent for too long, lost in his thoughts.

“Tell no one of this,” he orders.

“Sir?”

“The name of the Rebel pilot is to be kept secret,” Vader elaborates. “Tell no one. Make sure that your people understand that they are to keep the pilot’s identity to themselves, on pain of death.”

“Certainly, my lord,” says the intelligence officer, confused and cautious, but willing to follow orders.

“Good. You are dismissed.”

“But my lord, the rest of my report–”

“Are you _arguing_ with me?” Vader demands, and the other man gulps, shaking his head, and flees the room.

Vader slumps back in his seat, his thoughts already returning to the miraculous thought that he _has a son_. All these years, he thought that he had killed his family, and now, to discover that at least one of them is alive… it stirs emotions Vader had believed long-dead, emotions that Vader associates with his past as Anakin Skywalker.

Padme may be dead – Vader knows she is, he saw her body himself, before she was buried in a lavish funeral that befitted a former queen and beloved senator – but her child _survives_. Vader feels a fierce protectiveness rise in his heart, because as long as the boy lives, something of Padme yet remains in the world. Something that he and Padme created, together, out of love and passion for one another. Vader’s world may have turned to ash, that long-ago day on Mustafar, but now, for the first time in a long time, he feels hope that perhaps something _good_ can be salvaged from his life.

If Vader can find the boy – talk to him – perhaps they may yet build some kind of relationship, despite the boy’s age. No doubt Obi-Wan has filled the boy’s head with black-and-white notions of good and evil, but…

Vader shakes his head. He will not know until he speaks to the boy. 

He thinks of the fact that the boy was clearly untrained in the ways of the Force. Perhaps, if all goes well, Vader can train him in secret. They could work together, as father and son, to bring down Palpatine and restore justice to the galaxy. It is a lofty goal, but then, Vader was ambitious, once. It seems that that ambition had finally returned to him, now that his despair and grief have dispersed enough for him to think clearly, once again.

Vader considers what to do next. He will continue to subtly undermine the Emperor, assisting the Rebellion where he can. It’s easier than it used to be. Even loyal members of the Imperial forces had been horrified Alderaan’s destruction – it had been a peaceful planet, and the majority of its inhabitants had been innocent – they had done nothing to deserve their fate, and even the most blindly-devoted followers of the Emperor admit that there was no good reason for Alderaan to be destroyed, aside from a blunt display of power. For those who were not blind followers of the Emperor, the destruction of Alderaan was a catalyst, forcing them to re-think their loyalties. Many of them have defected to the Rebellion, Vader knows, or are considering it. He pretends that he knows nothing of their changed or faltering loyalties – but secretly, he takes notes of every person who feels conflicted, or who shows small signs of disgust or uncertainty when they speak of Sidious.

Vader’s thoughts drift away from his next course of action, back to his son. 

Luke. He wonders if Padme named the boy. It’s a good, strong name, and fitting for one so strong in the Force. He wonders where the boy grew up, who raised him – what the boy is like. Is he like Vader was at that age – reckless and foolhardy? Or has he inherited his mother’s cool head and natural gift for diplomacy? Only meeting the boy will tell.

Vader wonders how to arrange such a thing, without alerting Sidious to Luke’s existence. For the Emperor to discover that Vader has a living child would be fatal, Vader knows – no doubt Sidious would either use the boy to replace Vader as Sidious’ right hand man, or he would insist on Vader killing the boy in some kind of twisted show of loyalty. Neither is acceptable. 

Vader resigns himself to being patient, waiting for the opportunity to meet the boy to arise. No doubt such a meeting _will_ arise – the Force works in mysterious ways, but Vader has no doubt that his discovery of the boy’s existence is no accident. He is certain that it is the will of the Force that the two of them shall meet.

Vader may be a Sith, but he vows, here and now, that he will never hurt his son the way he hurt Padme. That was a mistake which cost Vader his wife forever, and doomed him to a life of unhappiness without his angel. He will not lose his son the same way.  
 


End file.
